FIRST LESSONS IN POULTRY KEEPING. 

 Treating Nests and Hens for Lice. 



41 



Insecticides. Tobacco leaves and stems, as noted in a preceding paragraph, are often used 

 to keep lice away from sitting hens. When these are not used the nest should be liberally 

 sprinkled with a good insect powder when made. Then a few days later the hen may be lifted 

 from the nest in the evening and well dusted with insect powder. Another dusting of the hen 

 about the middle of the hatch, and a third just before the eggs begin to pip will generally insure 

 chicks freedom from lice when they hatch, and make it unnecessary to treat them for lice in the 

 nests. 



The Dust Bath. When the earth of the floor of the place where the hens are set is clean and 

 fine and dry enough that affords them a suitable place for wallowing, and hens that make 

 liberal use of it will keep in much better condition than those that go back to the nest quickly 

 after eating their fill. Wallowing gives them vigorous exercise, and also keeps the feathers 

 clean. When there is a yard accessible, and the ground dry enough, hens will by preference 

 go out in the sun to wallow, but this is too uncertain to rely upon. 



Testing the Eggs. 



It is always best to test eggs as soon as they have incubated long enough to show develop- 

 ment, and remove all infertile eggs and all showing dead germs or a general breaking up of the 

 liquid contents of the egg. It is such eggs that are most likely to break, and when they do 

 break make the worst mess of the nest. 



Egg testers are sold by all dealers in poultry supplies. One of the most common forms is a 

 metal chimney to go on an ordinary lamp. One side of the chimney at the point opposite the 

 flame of the lamp, is cut out and fitted with a piece of heavy felt in which is an oval hole of 

 such dimensions that when an egg. is held before it, the light shines through the egg, and what- 

 ever developments are made inside the egg can be seen. 



A home made tester may be made of a box of such size as to contain a common hand lamp. 

 The accompanying illustration shows how such a tester may be made. .White shelled eggs 

 may be tested at the fourth or fifth day. Dark shelled eggs can 

 sometimes be tested at the fifth day, but when the shells are 

 thick and strong, as well as dark, it is as well to let testing go 

 until the seventh day. 



The most pronounced indications of fertility and beginning 

 development of the chick are a clearly defined air space at the 

 large end of the egg, (the egg should be tested large end up), and 

 a cloudy appearance, densest in the upper part of the egg. 



An absolutely clear egg is either an infertile egg or one in which 

 the germ did not develop far enough for its death to immediately 

 cause decomposition to begin about it. 



An infertile egg will not decompose during the period of incuba- 

 tion, but would be clear if allowed at the end of three weeks to 

 remain under the hen the full period. 



Heavy red lines or clots in the egg indicate dead germs. In a 

 white egg a spider like red spot is often seen at the first test. This 

 is the beginning of the development of the arterial system, and the 

 Home Made Egg Tester. egg showing it is all right. 



When the air space, as seen through the tester, is not permanently defined, but the line 

 between it and the fluids of the egg moves as the egg is turned about, the germ is dead, and the 

 gg is decomposing. 



The various conditions described above are not always unmistakably plain. Practice is 

 required before one becomes expert in distinguishing them. In all cases where there is doubt, 

 mark the egg and leave it for the next test, which should be made about the end of the second 

 week. At that time the air space should show very plain, while all below it is dark. 



Chilled Eggs. 



If the instructions given in this lesson in regard to keeping nests closed are followed, there 

 will be chilled eggs only in case of a hen becoming sick, or dying on the nest, or refusing to 



